CanopyCredential User Guide & Instructions

We want you to succeed! This guide contains useful information about the test, its format, and how best to prepare.

Pre-Assessment

The first section of the pre-assessment focuses on English language experience. Native English speakers do not need to take the Medical English test to be considered Qualified Bilingual Staff. Users can self-attest to their English language abilities and those who qualify will waive out of the English test and be directed to take only the Medical Spanish test. 

The rest of the self-assessment allows test-takers to rate their own medical language skills according to the Canopy Scale for Bilingual Healthcare Communication. The benefit of this exercise is it helps individuals confirm they are ready to proceed with the test and familiarizes test takers with the rating rubric. It can also help organizations to identify discrepancies between self-reported language proficiency and actual test scores.

Beginning the Test

From the user dashboard, select Take Test, then complete the Device Check. Please ensure that your speaker and microphone are functioning properly during the device check.

Test Structure

Each test is made up of 6 scenario-based tasks. You may take notes throughout the test and will have time to prepare and plan your speaking responses before you record them. This gives you multiple opportunities to show your proficiency in different scenarios.

The test is divided into two parts. All of the tasks in Part A pertain to a particular scenario with one patient or colleague, and all of the tasks in Part B pertain to a different scenario with a different patient or colleague.

General Test Taking Instructions

Viewing Videos and Recording Your Audio

• Videos will only play once, cannot be stopped, rewound, or forwarded.
• If you are ready to record before the allotted time is up, click “NEXT”. Otherwise, the recording will start automatically.
• When you hear the beep, start recording your answer.
• The recording cannot be paused. When time runs out, it will automatically stop and save your recording.
• If you are done recording before time is up, click “NEXT” to save your recording and continue.

Speaking Tasks

Answer prompts are provided throughout the test. These prompts are not meant to prescribe how you should practice medicine or deliver healthcare; rather, they are designed to standardize test-takers' responses so that our raters can focus on grading linguistic performance instead of the underlying medical validity of the responses.

As tips for your spoken response, to demonstrate your highest level of medical language proficiency:

• Prepare an organized response.
• Include all the requested information.
• Use medical terminology and phraseology as well as lay terms the patient can understand.
• Provide a socio-culturally appropriate response.
• Use as much of the allotted time as you need to provide your most complete response.

Congratulations on your bilingual journey thus far! We appreciate your effort to make healthcare more accessible to all patients. Thank you for being a part of the solution.